This is the website for Mission Hill School's  library building effort.

Many of us remember that schools used to always have libraries. Back in the day they had a good number of books for all ages, some magazines, study tables, a 'shushser' and a whole lot of quiet.

But as educational monies became tight, many of those libraries degraded to a collection of dusty books - many times with not even a librarian to keep them company. New schools  opened with the barest of libraries - if any. Today people consider a school library on the 'nice to have list'  like a playground but not crucial to the educational mission.

There are even those who believe that knowing how to use books is on par with 8-track tapes....the library should only be filled with hi-speed internet connected computers because all information will soon be on the Web.

So why bother building or re-building a library? It takes at least 2 years to get it up to minimal standards (of today), it takes physical space, and it needs deep resources.

We bother because in the search for keys to increasing literacy and reading fluency, extensive research shows the presence of a completed library increases  student literacy, fluency and other positive learning outcomes - regardless of the sending community. This  is a LINK  to many of these research results - explained in easy-to-understand terms.

Now the following may seem overwhelming  - but keep reading and you will feel encouraged.

A 'completed library' has a Professional Librarian , 2 assistants, and a wide range of reading materials from graphic novels to literature to appeal to all levels of reading regardless of age. For example, the older emerging reader would more likely be enticed by a limited vocabulary book on football than kittens. This library also has a enough computer hookups to teach an  entire class at a one time how to incorporate the Web into information gathering and  how to use databases that the school subscribes to. These databases provide infomation not available on the free web.

There is also a full range of multimedia materials to support the curriculum. The Librarian's  main mission is to work with the teaching staff closely throughout the year to explain our resources and to bring to their attention resources they were not aware of.

WOW....this seems like a tall order for Mission Hill, but it can happen and is happening. Mission Hill already has some of the best of these resources. Those are our grains of sand. And every piece of work we do to move towards 'complete library' is another layer created by our oyster....and one day we will have  that glorious pearl.  And what a sight it will be!

In the meantime, literacy, fluency, and book-loving is occuring as usual at MHS - even during our 'library construction'.A substantial body of